Importance of microbial amphiphiles: interaction potential of biosurfactants, amyloids, and other exo-polymeric-substances

Microorganisms produce a diverse group of biomolecules having amphipathic nature (amphiphiles). Microbial amphiphiles, including amyloids, bio-surfactants, and other exo-polymeric substances, play a crucial role in various biological processes and have gained significant attention recently. Although...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:World journal of microbiology & biotechnology 2023-11, Vol.39 (11), p.320-320, Article 320
Main Authors: Master, Nishita G., Markande, Anoop R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied Microbiology
Biochemical composition
Biochemistry
Biofilms
Biological activity
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Biomolecules
Biosurfactants
Biotechnology
Emulsification
Environmental Engineering/Biotechnology
Exopolysaccharides
Fibers
Interfacial properties
Life Sciences
Low molecular weights
Microbiology
Microorganisms
Molecular weight
Pathogenicity
Pathogens
Peptides
Review
Siderophores
Surface tension
Surfactants
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Summary:Microorganisms produce a diverse group of biomolecules having amphipathic nature (amphiphiles). Microbial amphiphiles, including amyloids, bio-surfactants, and other exo-polymeric substances, play a crucial role in various biological processes and have gained significant attention recently. Although diverse in biochemical composition, these amphiphiles have been reported for common microbial traits like biofilm formation and pathogenicity due to their ability to act as surface active agents with active interfacial properties essential for microbes to grow in various niches. This enables microbes to reduce surface tension, emulsification, dispersion, and attachment at the interface. In this report, the ecological importance and biotechnological usage of important amphiphiles have been discussed. The low molecular weight amphiphiles like biosurfactants, siderophores, and peptides showing helical and antimicrobial activities have been extensively reported for their ability to work as quorum-sensing mediators. While high molecular weight amphiphiles make up amyloid fibers, exopolysaccharides, liposomes, or magnetosomes have been shown to have a significant influence in deciding microbial physiology and survival. In this report, we have discussed the functional similarities and biochemical variations of several amphipathic biomolecules produced by microbes, and the present report shows these amphiphiles showing polyphyletic and ecophysiological groups of microorganisms and hence can `be replaced in biotechnological applications depending on the compatibility of the processes.
ISSN:0959-3993
1573-0972
DOI:10.1007/s11274-023-03751-9